"No, no," cried Sally, clapping her hands in glee, "it didn't drop from there. It dropped out of the letter."
"That's more wonderful, then, than all the rest put together. Out of the letter! There's not a letter in the letter, Sal--not one, from A to Z." He laughed aloud, and Sally laughed in sympathy. "I don't care where this comes from, nor why it has come. What I know is, it's the brightest bit of good luck that ever happened to a man. This piece of paper's a looking-glass, my child. Look at it--what do you see in it?"
Literal Sally, looking at the bank-note, as Seth held it open before her, began at the beginning.
"There's a picture of a lady with a wand in her hand----"
"Britannia ruling the waves. Is that all you can see in it?"
"No; there's--what funny letters, Daddy! I never saw any like 'em before. There's B-a-n-k, Bank----"
Seth took up the word, and read the note from beginning to end, and then repeated his question, "Is that a l you can see in it?"
"Sally, I'm cleverer than you. I take the note, and put it before me like this---- Stop a minute." The Duchess had fallen asleep in his arms, and he placed her gently on the bed. "Now we can get along. I look at the note like this, and I see--yes, I see a coach, with you and me and the Duchess sitting on the top of it."
"Here we go, driving into the country. Such a ride, Sally! I see green fields and flowers and fresh air for our darling in it----"
It was with difficulty that Sally kept herself still to hear the rest.
"I see two weeks of green fields and fresh air for our darling in it. And I'm not quite sure that I don't see the sea. Do I see the waves creeping up, Sally?"
"I don't know--oh, _do_ you see 'em, Daddy, do you?"
"It's got a little bit cloudy about here"--tracing an imaginary line with his finger--"but it'll clear up soon. And, Sally, I see something still better in it. I see roses for our Duchess's cheeks in it, sparkles for her eyes, lightness for her foot. Kiss the note, Sally. I never thought I should come to worship Mammon, but I do worship him now, with all my heart."
"Daddy," said Sally, struck with a sudden fear, "is it a good un?"